OATdb Archive

2008 - 2009

Career Services

Goal
Career Services - Student Recruitment/Retention Support And Graduate Success Programs
Provide support programs to align with University and Division of Enrollment Management's goals of quality student recruitment, retention and graduate success.

Objective
Early Major/Career Choice Identification
Career Services will provide support to enable students to identify a major/career path their first academic year.

Indicator
Collaboration With First Year Experience And New Student Orientation Programs
Collaboration with First Year Experience, New Student Orientation and the SAM Center to initiate programs to encourage early identification of major and/or career path choice.

Criterion
Evidence Of Collaboration
Program, event and/or service initiated during the 2008-2009 academic year through collaboration with First Year Experience and/or the New Student Orientation Program.

Finding
Three Collaborative Programs Were Scheduled
Co-Hosted the "Making It Count - The Ultimate Road Trip" program with the Office Of First Year Experience and Student Activities: Approximately 35 freshmen attended one of two workshops September 4, 2008, designed to promote success in college and steps to take to choose a major and a career that fits.



Presented "Choosing A Major" Program To Freshmen Orientation Students And Parents: The program was presented at each of the seven Freshman Orientation Sessions. As of the 6th session a total of 1701 students and 1496 parents participated.



The "Choosing a Major" Workshop Series was scheduled for 3/17-18/08 and to be co-hosted by the SAM Center and the Career Services Center: The workshop series was cancelled because of low student turn-out. The students that had signed up were instead seen in individual sessions.

Action
Programs Will Be Continued
The "Making It Count" Program Will Be Continued: Program will be continued with enhanced publicity and faculty support to increase freshmen attendance.

The "Choosing A Major" Workshop Series Will Be Rescheduled: Due to the close proximity to the calendar Spring Break, few students signed up for the workshop co-hosted by the SAM Center and Career Services. We will reschedule for Fall 2009.

The "Choosing A Major" Program will be continued at Freshmen Orientation: Career Services will continue to present "Choosing a Major" at Freshmen Orientation sessions and will design a flyer outlining this process to include in the participants' packet upon Orientation staff approval.

Goal
Career Services - Staff Hiring, Retention,Training And Development
Continue to increase Career Services staff as funding allows, while retaining current staff and proving training and professional development opportunities.

Objective
Addition Of An Assistant Director Of Career Services Position To Staff
Career Services will hire an Assistant Director of Career Services who will be responsible for employer relations, job/internship development and enhancement of the part-time student employment opportunities both on-campus and off-campus.

Indicator
Selection Of An Assistant Director Candidate
Selection of a candidate for the Assistant Director of Career Services position posted with SHSU Human Resources Department.

Criterion
Assistant Director of Career Services Hired
Candidate chosen in the interview process is approved for hire by the SHSU Human Resources Department.

Finding
Assistant Director Position Approved, Funded And Filled
After briefly posting the position with SHSU Human Resources, the vacancy was filled through an internal candidate's promotion. Current Employment Specialist Vinessa Mundorff will be promoted to Assistant Director of Career Services starting September 1, 2009.

Action
Implementation Of Job Development, Internship And Student Employment Programs
The Assistant Director will be responsible for developing and streamlining programs through which students and alumni can obtain community service, internship, part-time (Work Study and Non-Work Study), and full-time experience effective September 1, 2009.

Objective
Staff Training And Professional Development
Career Services will provide training and professional development opportunities and encourage staff to attend these programs throughout the 2008-2009 academic year.

Indicator
Staff Participation In Training And Professional Development
Career Services staff submits registrations and, if necessary, travel applications to attend training and professional development programs and events.

Criterion
Participation level of Career Services staff attending training and professional development events
100% of the Career Services staff will attend at least one training or professional development program or event during the 2008-2009 academic year.

Finding
100% Career Services Staff Attended Professional Development And Training Programs
As of May 31, 2009 all six of the Career Services staff, both exempt and non-exempt, will have attended at least one professional development or training program. The three exempt staff have all attended more than one professional development program offered through regional and national career services-related organizations.

Action
Professional Development And Training For All Staff Continued
Attendance of at least one professional development or training program will be encouraged of all staff with a 100% participation rate sought. Additionally, we will seek to provide, if costs allow,out-of-office training and professional development opportunities for our counseling graduate assistants.

Goal
Career Services - Program Development
Demonstrate continuous improvement in program development/enhancement in Career Services.

Objective
Increase Awareness Of Career Services On Campus Through The Addition Or Enhancement Of Programs.
Career Services will add or enhance programs and events designed to increase awareness of Career Services on campus.

Indicator
Scheduling And Promotion Of New Programs And Events
New and/or enhanced events and programs planned during the 2008-2009 academic year designed to increase awareness of Career Services on Campus.

Criterion
New Programs and Events Implemented
Planned new programs and events designed to increase awareness of Career Services on campus are actually implemented during the 2008-2009 academic year.

Finding
Three New Job Fairs Added
Career Services for the first time hosted: An On-Campus Student Employment Job for each of the long semesters in 2008-2009; An Agriculture and Industrial Technology Job Fair 2/3/09 and The Criminal Justice Job Fair 3/4/09. These received positive evaluations from both students and employers in attendance.

Action
The Addition Of New And Enhanced Programs Will Be Continued
Career Services will continue to develop new programs and enhance programs and services currently in place to better serve our students/alumni. Particular emphasis will be placed in the 2009-2010 year on increasing awareness of "green" job and federal/civil service opportunities for our constituents.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement Career Services has been successful in the area of Program Development with the addition of three new "niche" career fairs for the benefit of students/alumni and employers. The 2009 spring semester "Etiquette Dinner" for junior/senior students was well attended and received excellent student evaluations so we will now make it an annual program. We also found our outreach efforts of setting up our Career Services tent and booth in the Lowman Student Center mall area was helpful in driving students to our programs and events. We moved to our new location in the ABIV Building and have found that move to have greatly improved the amount of student walk-in traffic and overall student participation in our programs. The addition of a FTE position, the Assistant Director of Career Services, will also enable us to do more to serve our student and employer constituents.

We did not make much progress on our planned technology-related initiatives - we will include them in our goals for the 2009-2010 academic year, particularly in the area of improving our web presence and delivery of services. We will also increase our focus on our employer outreach to better assist students/alumni in finding employment opportunities in a tough economy. Particular emphasis will be placed on educating students about careers available in federal service and the "green" sector and identifying these employment resources.